Deflector for automobile heaters



C. H. WILL DEFLECTOR FOR AUTOMOBILE HEATERS Filed June '8, 1936 May 24, 1938.

BY W, ATTORNEYS INVfiN-IOR CARI. H. WILL.

I 1 UNITED STATE Patented May 24,

Application June s, 1930, Serial No. 84,131

s PATENT o i-lce 10 Claims,

This invention relatesto new and useful improvements in automobile heaters, and more particularly to the air deflecting means of such heaters.

An object of the present invention is to pro-' vide a simple and inexpensive deflector for an automobile heater which may readily and conveniently be adjusted'from one position to another, and which will not relatively change its bearing in the opening of the casing, and they correspondingly shaped element provided on the deflector for receiving said bearing; and, in the 25 construction of the spring means for holding the deflector in frictional engagement with said bearv ing, and whereby the deflectormay be'convenient- 1y rotated from one position to another to control the directional flow of heated air from the 30 heater, and whereby the deflector is firmly retained in adjusted position-without danger of relatively changing its position or becoming noisy,

as a result of vibration, or shocks imparted to the body of the vehicle. 4

Other objects of the invention will appear from the following description and accompanying drawing and will be pointed out-in the annexed claims. I

In the accompanying drawing, there has been 40 disclosed a structure designed to carry out the various objects of the invention, but it is to be understood that the invention is not confined to the exact features shown as various changes may be made. within the scope'of the claims which 45 follow.

In the drawing: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a conventional heater, partially in section, tomore clearly illustrate the means for supporting the deflector in 50 the opening of the casing thereof;

Figure 2'is a front view of the heater showing the preferred construction of the deflector;

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 3-3 of Figure 1, showing the connection be- 55 tween the deflector and its supporting means;

Figure 4 is a detail view showing the friction type hearing which supports the deflector in the opening of .the heater casing; and

Figure 5 is a detail view showingthe flnger grip or knob removed from the deflector. ,5

In the selected embodiment of the invention here shown, there is illustrated in Figure 1, for purposes of disclosure, a heater of. more or less conventional design, including a casing. enerally indicated by the numeral l, comprising a front shell 2, shown having an outer enclosing member 3 fitting thereover to enhance the appearance and attractiveness of the front I of the heater. The heater is shown provided with the usual core, gen I erally indicated by the numeral 4, which is sup ported in the casing 2 and is provided with the usual intake and outlet water circulating-tubes 5 and 6. The usual motor I is also shown supported in the rear portion of, the-heater and has, a fan 8. for circulating airthrough the core 4 in the usual manner.

An important feature of the present invention resides in the deflecting means provided for controlling the directional flow of the heated air from the heater, and in the means for supporting said deflecting means. As clearly illustrated in Figures '1 and 2, the casing 2 is provided in the front wall with an opening 9, through which the heated air is circulated by the action of the fan 8. A suitable deflector, generally indicated by the numeral I], is mounted for rotary adjustment in the opening 9 and is shown provided with a plu-. rality of louvres l2, preferably 'arcuately formed as shown in Figures 1 and 2. These louvres direct the air currents downwardly or to one side, dc.-

pending upon the position of the deflector II in the opening 9.

To support the deflector II, a conicalbearing I3 is supported in the circular opening 9 of the casing 2 by suitable arms ll, preferably shaped 40 as best shown in Figure 1, and having their terminals 15 suitably secured to the front shell 2 by such means as welding. The bearing I3 is in the form of a frustum, and'has a flat surface It provided with a suitable aperture II, as clearly illustrated in Figures 1 and 4. V

The deflector- H is pro'videdat its center with a cone-shaped element l8 having an inner bearing surface corresponding in shape to the conical surface of the bearing l3, so that the member l 8 of the deflector may be fitted reasonably snugly against the bearing l3. Themember l8 may be suitably secured to the central portion ll of the deflector H by such means as spot welding, indicated at 2| in Figure 3.. The member II and s5 .by the numeral 25.

I stood by reference to Figure l.

a unit from the heater.

central portion iii of the deflector are shown provided with alined apertures, generally indicated by the numeral 22, which preferably are square, as

shown in Figure 3, and are adapted to receive the squared portion 20 of the terminal 23 of a suitable finger knob 26!, shown in'Figure's' 1 and 5. This finger knob is non-rotatably secured to the deflector. The outer end of the terminal 23 of the knob 2% is preferably cylindrical in crosssection and fits into v the aperture iii in the bearing l3, whereby it retains the deflector in axial alinement with the opening in the front shell 3 of the heater.

Another feature of theinvention resides in the novel means provided for yieldably retaining the element It of the deflector in frictional engagement with the conical bearing surface it,

whereby the deflector may be conveniently rotated from one position to another to control the directional flow of the air from the heater, and whereby the deflector is frictionally retained in adjusted position so that it is not likely torelatively change its position as a result of vibration or shocks imparted to the vehicle body. I

The means provided for thus frictionaily retaining the deflector in adjusted position on the bearing I3, is best shown in Figure 1 and comprises a hook-shaped element, generally indicated This hook-shaped element has a hook 26 at one end adapted to engage a bar or pin 27 secured to the square terminal 22 of the finger grip 2d. The element 25 is provided at its opposite end with a head 27 which is seated against one end of a spiral spring 28,

the head 21' which, by reason of the element 25,

constantly urges the member i8 of the deflector into frictionalengagement with the conical surface of the bearing l3, whereby the deflector is .frictionally supported in adjusted position by the action of the spring 28.

The above described parts provide a very simple and economical mechanism for retaining the deflector i l in adjusted position on'the seat I 3. Because of the spring 28 constantly exerting an inward force against the finger knob 24, the latter need not'necessarily-be permanently secured to the central portion IQ of the deflector. which simplifies the construction of the apparatus. The square terminal 22 of the finger knob 24 is merely fitted into the square apertures provided in the central portion I9 of the deflector and the member l8 thereof, and is retained therein by the action of the spring 28, as will readily be under- To remove the deflector from the heater casing, the spring 28 is compressed so that the book 26 of the element 25 may be disengaged from the cross bar or pin 21, after which the flnger'knob 28 and deflector H may readily be removed as If desired, the finger knob 26 may be non-removably secured to the central portion of the deflector, although this is not essential;

To adjust the novel deflector herein disclosed,

V the operator simply grasps the finger knob 2d and rotates it in either direction, depending upon the direction in which he wishes to. direct the I heated air from the heater. 'Should the fric- 'tional engagement of the member I8 with the bearing i3 be such that the deflector;is difficult "to rotate, the operator may pull the finger knob anaaea move out of direct contact with the conical bearing surface-oi the bearing l3, thereby permitting the deflector to be readily and conveniently rotated to any desired-position. The construction of the deflector and its supporting means is such.

Figure l.

adjustment including, a pair of nested members providing concave and convex surfaces, cooperating to increase friction and to steady and reduce vibration of the deflector and yieldable means for maintaining an anti-rotating frictional relation between said surfaces.

2. In combination with a heater through which air is circulated for heating, a deflector for controlling the direction of distribution of the heated air. and means mounting said deflector for rotary adjustment including a pair of nested conical members one capping the other, and having their conical surfaces cooperating to increase friction and to steady and reduce vibration of the deflector, and yieldable means for maintaining an antirotating frictional relation between said surfaces. 3. In combination with a heater through which air is circulated for heating,'a deflector for controlling the direction of distribution of the heated air, and means'mounting said deflector for rotary adjustment including, a pair of members one pro-' viding a flat and a convex surface and the other providing a flat and a concave surface, said surfaces cooperating to increase friction and to steady and reduce vibration of the deflector, and yieldable means for maintaining an anti-rotating frictional relation between said surfaces.

7 4. In combination with a heater through which air is circulated for heating, a deflector for contary adiustment, including a pair" of membershaving surfaces cooperating to increase friction, a-knob for manually rotating said deflector, a bar having a shoulder engaging the knob and having a second shoulder and a spring surrounding the bar and engaging the second shoulder and acting thereagainst to cause the knob to press one member'into" frictional engagement with the other. 4

6. In a heater of the class described, a casing having'an opening therein, means for circulat ing air through said opening, a conical bearing disposed in the axis of said opening, a deflector supported on said bearing, .and spring means for 76 retainlngthe deflector in adiusted position on the bearing. v i

'7. In a heater of the class described a casing having an opening therein, means for \circulating air through said opening, a member fixed in said opening and having a conical bearing secured thereto, a deflector supported on said'bearing and comprising a plurality of louvres facing in one direction, and spring means for frictionally securing the deflector in adjusted position on the bearing.

8. In a heater of the class described, a casing having an opening therein, means for circulating heated air through said opening, a conical bearing disposed in the axis of said opening, a deflector mounted for rotary adjustment on said bearing and provided with a finger grip, and a spring element operatively connected to said flnger grip and engaging the bearing and serving to retain the deflector in adjusted position in said opening.

9. In a heater of the class described, a casing having an opening therein, means for circulating heated air through said opening, a friction bearbearing, means ing disposed in the axis of said opening, a de- -flector mounted for rotary adjustment on said for holding the deflector in adjusted position on said bearing, comprising a finger grip orgknob non-rotatably connected to the deflector, and a spring for retaining the knob inoperative position, and whereby the deflector is held in frictional'engagemen't with the bearing.

10. In a. heater of the class described, a casing having arr-opening therein, means for circulating heated air through said opening, a conical bearing disposed in the axis of said opening, a deflector mounted forrotary adjustment on said bearing, a finger grip or knob having an operative connection with the deflector, a hook element having one end operatively connected to the knob, and a coiled spring having one end seated against said bearing and its other end against a head; formed on the hook element,

whereby an inward force is constantly exerted on the deflector to hold it in adjusted'position in said opening. I

' CARL H. WILL. 

